People in a north Kerry community continue to have to bury their loved ones in neighbouring villages due to a lack of space in the local cemetery.

Fine Gael Cllr Aoife Thornton raised the issue at the recent Listowel Municipal District meeting, where she called for funding to be made available to develop the planned new burial ground in Lixnaw.

In October 2015, Kerry County Council unveiled plans for the new cemetery, which will provide close to 1,000 spaces and will be located between the community hall and the presbytery, but there’s no funding to develop it.

The council says it’s currently reviewing the cost of constructing the new burial ground in Lixnaw, but it’s hoped works will start this year, subject to available funding.

Cllr Thornton says the current situation is causing distress to families, and she’s appealing to the council to speed up the process.